Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0050’

ABSTRACT

A new Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0050’ particularly distinguished by its small sized, purple flowers, very early flowering and a mounding plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petunia hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEHY0050’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEHY0050’.

‘PEHY0050’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has small sized, purple flowers, very early flowering and a mounding plant habit.

‘PEHY0050’ originated from a hybridization made in October 2014 in a controlled breeding environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was the proprietary selection ‘N3118-1V’, having a similar flower shape, a rose with white eye flower color and a more trailing plant habit compared to ‘PEHY0050’.

The male parent of ‘PEHY0050’ was the proprietary selection ‘N4679-1V’, having a bigger flower size, a purple flower color with deeper dark purple throat, and a mounding to upright plant habit compared to ‘PEHY0050’.

The resulting seeds were sown in January 2015. ‘PEHY0050’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2015 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEHY0050’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2015 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in June 2015 and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEHY0050’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEHY0050’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in Canada on Jul. 21, 2020, No. 20-10320. ‘PEHY0050’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEHY0050’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Petunia as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEHY0050’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in April 2019 from plants growing indoor in 12 cm pots in Andijk, The Netherlands. These plants were approximately 11 weeks of age.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in September 2020 in Andijk, The Netherlands on approximately 21 week old plants that were growing in containers.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEHY0050’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY Littletunia bic. Illusion ‘PEHY0050’ (Not patented) Plant habit: Mounding Mounding to upright Flower color: Purple Purple-red with narrow white stripes Flower size: Very small Very small

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Mounding plant habit.         -   Plant height.—21 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—28 cm.         -   Plant diameter (width).—Approximately 30 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—16 days at             about 22° C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N158D. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sometimes opposite,             decussate.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137D.         -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 147C.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 147B.         -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Width.—0.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Base shape.—Shortly attenuate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short hair.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short hairs.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 147C.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 147C.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 147C.         -   Length.—0.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Petiole texture.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—4-5.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 146C.         -   Length of stem.—18 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1.0-1.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Dense, mostly glandular short hairs.         -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 146C.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.0 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture of pedicel.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Flowers solitary in upper leaf axis.         -   Floret type.—Funnel-shaped; 5 lobed petals; fused at base.         -   Blooming habit.—Very early flowering in greenhouse,             flowering throughout the summer months.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—Approximately 150.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 7 days.         -   Fragrance.—Rather strong smell. -   Bud (just when opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS N81A at top, N79A towards base.         -   Length.—2.2 cm.         -   Width.—0.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong. -   Immature inflorescence:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—1.6 cm.         -   Color petals, upper surface.—RHS 71A.         -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS 77A. -   Mature flower:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—2.4 cm.         -   Flower height (vertical).—2.0 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—RHS N78A.         -   Color lower surface.—RHS 77B.         -   Conspicuousness of veins.—Medium.         -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Waviness of margin.—Low.         -   Petal lobation.—Medium to strong.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Smooth.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Smooth, occasionally a short             hair.         -   Corolla tube color outside.—RHS 77A.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 81B with veins RHS 83A.         -   Conspicuousness of veins in tube.—Medium.         -   Corolla tube length.—2 cm.         -   Corolla tube texture, outside.—Rather dense and short             glandular hairs.         -   Corolla tube texture, inside.—Glabrous. -   Calyx:     -   -   Color of sepal, upper surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Color of sepal, lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Length.—0.6 cm.         -   Width.—0.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short glandular             hairs.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short glandular hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—1.4 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 144D at base, RHS 79D towards stigma.         -   Style length.—1.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 146B.         -   Stamens.—         -   Quantity per flower.—5.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS N155C at base, RHS 77A towards             anther.         -   Length filaments.—1.4 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 157D with spots RHS 83B.         -   Anther length.—0.1 cm.         -   Anther shape.—Elliptical.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 157D.         -   Pollen amount.—Medium.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been observed on this             hybrid. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0050’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 